Abu Dhabi asks Tehran to end occupation

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates, Dec. 8 (UPI) -- Abu Dhabi called on Iran to end its occupation of three islands through diplomatic means, Foreign Minister Sheik Abdullah bin Zayyed-al-Nuhayyan said.

"We hope that Iran consider the gulf approach to ending this situation (occupation) ... . We hope that our brothers in Iran initiate the resolution of this situation in future," Abdullah told a joint news conference with secretary-general of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Abdulrahman al-Attiyah, the Global Arab network, said Tuesday night.

Attiyah referred to the Greater and Lesser Tunbs and Abu Moussa islands, which are claimed by the United Arab Emirates, the network said.

The small islands are located in the eastern Persian Gulf near the Straits of Hormuz. Iran administers the islands as part of its Hormosgan province, but the UAE claims it is part of the Emirate of Ras-al-Khaimah territory.

The UAE has called on Iran to hold direct negotiations to end its occupation of the islands and has also mulled taking the issue to the International Court of Justice, the Arab broadcaster said.